Refrigeration device with ice maker

ABSTRACT

A refrigeration device has a housing which delimits at least one cooled storage compartment, an ice maker incorporated in the storage compartment, a refrigeration machine for cooling the storage compartment and a device control unit in order to control the operation of the refrigeration machine and of the ice maker. The ice maker has a secondary electronic control unit which is configured in order to convert a single control command from the device control unit into a sequence of commands directed at different actuators of the ice maker.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of Germanpatent application DE 10 2016 219 446.1, filed Oct. 7, 2016; the priorapplication is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

While it is almost standard in the North American market to providerefrigeration devices with an automatically functioning ice maker, suchice makers still constitute an optional extra in Europe, theproliferation of which is however on the increase.

On account of the low level of proliferation hitherto, European kitchensare not as a general rule configured in order to provide a refrigerationdevice with a direct connection to the water supply network. Since manyinterested parties shy away from the costs associated with theestablishment of such a connection, in addition to ice makers configuredfor connection to the water supply network it is also necessary to offerice makers which do not require such a connection and can instead be fedfrom a manually fillable water tank.

Automatic ice makers have for a long time been controlled byelectromechanical devices. An electromechanical control device for anice maker contains a cam disk driven slowly in rotary fashion by anelectric motor and levers sensing the contour of the cam disk in orderto open and close a valve by way of which the ice molds of a tray werefilled with water, and to drive a movement of the tray ejecting thefinished ice cubes.

The advent of inexpensive programmable electronic control devicesresulted in the fact that the devices were soon also employed forcontrolling the refrigeration machine in a refrigeration device. Sincethe programmable electronic control devices were capable of carrying outthe tasks of the electromechanical control devices and at the same time,as it were, also offering the capability to control additional functionswhich could be implemented only with considerable effort, if at all,with cam disks the electromechanical control devices were forced out ofthe market.

While the transition from electromechanical to electronic controlsignificantly reduced the costs of the control devices themselves, thiswas not the case for the assembly process. On the contrary, an increasein complexity resulted here from the need to route cables between theelectronic control unit and the components of the ice maker controlledthereby, and to take into consideration in this situation that differentmodels of ice maker could differ in respect of the number and nature ofthe components to be controlled and the cables required for thispurpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to reduce this complexity, inother words to rationalize the production of refrigeration devices whichoptionally may or may not have an ice maker, or may have differentmodels of ice maker.

The object is achieved in that in the case of a refrigeration devicehaving a housing delimiting at least one cooled storage compartment, anice maker incorporated in the storage compartment, a refrigerationmachine for cooling the storage compartment and a device control unit inorder to control the operation of the refrigeration machine and of theice maker the ice maker contains a secondary electronic control unitwhich is configured in order to convert a single control command fromthe device control unit into a sequence of commands directed atdifferent actuators of the ice maker.

A plurality of advantageous affects result therefrom. For one thing, thecable routing between the device control unit and the ice maker issimplified because apart from an activation command the ice makerrequires no further control signals from the device control unit inorder to enable it to perform its function. The control program for thedevice control unit will therefore still also be required in twoversions if need be, depending on whether it is employed in arefrigeration device with or without an ice maker; in an ideal situationa single control program can be provided which checks during the courseof an initialization process whether or not an ice maker is present, andtakes this into account as execution of the program continues. The icemaker can be further developed or augmented with additional functionswithout this necessarily requiring an adaptation of the control programof the device control unit.

The actuators of the ice maker, which are controlled by the secondaryelectronic control unit, should include at least one motor in order topivot a tray of the ice maker and a valve, in particular a solenoidvalve, in order to control the water supply to the tray.

If the ice maker in a conventional manner contains a four-sided framesurrounding the tray, the secondary control unit can be accommodated ina chamber which is delimited by one side wall of the frame and a shellattached to the side wall and projecting over the side wall. Existingmodels of ice makers can thus be adapted to the invention with a minimumof changes.

The side wall of the frame is preferably the same side wall on which abearing is arranged, by way of which the pivoting motion of the tray isdriven—typically by an electric motor and a reduction gear.

The ice maker can comprise a temperature sensor, to which the secondarycontrol unit is connected. This enables control of the ice makingprocess while taking into consideration the prevailing temperature inthe ice maker which can differ significantly from the temperatureprevailing in other parts of the storage compartment accommodating theice maker and preferably set as the basis by the device control unit ofthe controller of a refrigeration machine.

The secondary control unit should control the duration of an ice makingcycle. It can vary this on the basis of the data from the temperaturesensor in order to thus optimize the productivity of the ice maker.

If a water line of the ice maker is provided with a heater in order toprevent the water in the line from freezing, then one of the actuatorsof the ice maker mentioned above which are controlled by the secondarycontrol unit can be a switch controlling the heater.

A water dispenser having a water outlet accessible on an outer side ofthe water dispenser can be integrated in the ice maker. In addition tothe ice production this also enables cooled water to be tapped off infairly large quantities, namely in particular when a manually fillabletank from which the ice maker is fed is itself arranged in a cooledmanner in the housing, or a water line connecting the ice maker to awater supply network passes through such a tank arranged in a cooledmanner.

The water outlet could be brought out from the housing of therefrigeration device in order to enable water to be tapped off withoutthe need to open a door in the housing for this purpose. The wateroutlet is preferably situated in the interior of the housing, whichmeans that the same type of housing can be used for refrigerationdevices with and without a water outlet or even for refrigerationdevices with and without an ice maker.

The water outlet from the water dispenser can also be providedphysically separated from the ice maker in the interior of the housingor on the outer surface of the housing of the refrigeration device, andthe secondary control unit of the ice maker can be configured in orderto control the water outlet from the water dispenser. The housing isalso understood as including a door attached to the housing body of therefrigeration device. The water dispenser can thus also be provided onan inner or outer surface of a door attached to the housing. The waterdispenser can also comprise an operating element for controlling thewater outlet on the water dispenser in order to report the water demandto the secondary control unit of the ice maker. This has the result thatthe device control unit does not need to be fundamentally configured inorder to control a water dispenser, in particular not if a refrigerationdevice is retrofitted with an ice maker. The device control unit canthereby be standardized cost-effectively and simply for refrigerationappliances having an ice maker or not having an ice maker.

The secondary control unit of the ice maker can be configured in orderto control a water valve for the water supply to the water outlet fromthe water dispenser. The water outlet from the water dispenser is thuscontrolled completely by the secondary control unit of the ice maker. Asa result of activating the operating element of the water dispenser amessage can be sent to the secondary control unit of the ice maker whichopens the water valve for the water supply to the water outlet. As aresult of deactivating the operating element of the water dispenser afurther message can be sent to the secondary control unit of the icemaker which closes the water valve for the water supply to the wateroutlet again. The device control unit can thereby be standardizedcost-effectively and simply for refrigeration appliances having an icemaker or not having an ice maker.

The device control unit can be in communication with a display and/oroperating device which displays a message from the secondary controlunit. This serves to ensure that status messages relating to the icemaker and/or water system of the refrigeration device, such as forexample error, filter saturation, water level, ice production modeand/or on/off messages, are notified to the customer by means of avisual or audible signal.

A display and/or operating device which displays information relating tothe status of the ice maker and/or enables settings to be made on theice maker can be integrated in the ice maker. This serves to ensure thatinformation relating to the status of the ice maker or of the watersystem, such as for example error, filter saturation, water level, iceproduction mode and/or on/off messages, are displayed to the customerdirectly on the ice maker. This also means that settings can be madedirectly on the ice maker by the customer. The embodiment of arefrigeration device with an ice maker is thereby simplified andretrofitting of the refrigeration device with an ice maker can beimplemented more cost-effectively because no adaptation of the devicecontrol unit is required. The device control unit can thereby bestandardized cost-effectively and simply for refrigeration applianceshaving an ice maker or not having an ice maker.

If the ice maker contains a water usage meter, the secondary electroniccontrol unit should be configured in order to output a message, inparticular to send the message to the device control unit or to thedisplay and/or operating device of the ice maker, if a threshold valuefor the water usage is exceeded. The message can draw a user's attentionto the need to replenish the water tank or, if a water filter isadditionally provided, to replace the water filter.

The refrigeration device can contain a water tank which supplies thetray of the ice maker and/or the water outlet from the water dispenserwith water. The water tank can for example be a water tank to be filledmanually. This serves to ensure that the refrigeration device can beequipped or retrofitted simply and cost-effectively with an ice maker inparticular because connection systems for a domestic water connectionare fundamentally not required.

The secondary control unit of the ice maker can be configured in orderto control a water delivery device which supplies the tray of the icemaker and/or the water outlet from the water dispenser with water. Thewater delivery device in question can be a switchable water valve or awater pump. The result is that the device control unit of therefrigeration device does not fundamentally need to be designed for thecontrol of water delivery devices and does not need to be adapted forthis purpose in the event of retrofitting. The device control unit canthereby be standardized cost-effectively and simply for refrigerationappliances having an ice maker or not having an ice maker.

The water tank can have a sensing device for determining the water levelin the water tank, and the secondary electronic control unit ice makercan be configured in order to send a message to the device control unitand/or to the display and/or operating device on the ice maker if athreshold value for the water level in the water tank is undershot. Thesensing device for determining the water level in the water tank can bea capacitive, magnetic or mechanical fill level detection device. Thisserves to ensure that the ice maker is configured in order to ascertainthe water level in the water tank and to notify the requirement forwater or replenishment through the secondary electronic control unit.This message can notify a user of the need to replenish the water tank.

The refrigeration device can be a household refrigeration device forconventional domestic use. A household refrigeration device normally hasa body having a storage space for foodstuffs and a door attached to thebody by a hinge system.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the inventionare set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodiedin a refrigeration device with an ice maker, it is nevertheless notintended to be limited to the details shown, since various modificationsand structural changes may be made therein without departing from thespirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents ofthe claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however,together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be bestunderstood from the following description of specific embodiments whenread in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a refrigeration device inaccordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the refrigeration device inaccordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 3 to 6 are perspective views showing a first part of an ice makerfor the refrigeration devices in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2 indifferent stages of assembly, and also, in FIG. 6, together with asecond part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first,particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a highly schematicillustration of a refrigeration device in accordance with a firstembodiment of the invention. With this embodiment, a housing 1 of therefrigeration device delimits at least two storage compartments, hereone normal refrigerating compartment 2 and one freezer compartment 3. Arefrigeration machine for cooling the compartments 2 and 3 contains acompressor 4 and a condenser 5 which are accommodated outside a heatinsulation layer 6, typically in a machine compartment 7 of the housing1, and also at least one evaporator arranged within the heat insulationlayer 6. In FIG. 1 one evaporator 8, 9 is associated with eachcompartment 2, 3, which evaporator 8, 9 directly cools the respectivecompartment 2, 3; alternatively however it would also be possible toprovide only one evaporator which is accommodated in an evaporatorchamber separate from normal refrigerating compartment 2 and freezercompartment 3, and a fan and flaps deliver cold air from the evaporatorchamber into one of the two compartments and return warmer air from thecompartment in question to the evaporator chamber.

An electronic device control unit 10 controls the operation of thecompressor 4 on the basis of temperature measurement values from atleast one temperature sensor 11 which is arranged in the compartment 2or 3. In the simplest case outlined in FIG. 1, that the evaporators 8, 9are connected in series in the coolant circuit with no elementcontrolling the coolant flow between them, the available coolingcapacity is distributed in a fixed ratio to the two compartments 2, 3,which means that a single temperature sensor suffices. If theevaporators 8, 9 are connected in parallel in the coolant circuit andthe distribution of the coolant to them can be controlled by means of avalve, or if in the case of series connection a controllable throttlepoint between the evaporators 8, 9 allows their evaporation temperaturesto be influenced, temperature sensors 11 should be present in bothcompartments 2, 3.

A manually fillable water tank 12 is arranged in the normalrefrigerating compartment 2. This tank can be provided with a wateroutlet, not illustrated in the FIG. 1, similar to a water outlet 43described later with reference to FIG. 6, which discharges into thenormal refrigerating compartment in order to enable cooled water to betapped off. A water line 13 runs from the tank 12 through a dividingwall 14 to an automatic ice maker 15 in the freezer compartment 3. Thewater tank 12 could alternatively also be arranged outside the heatinsulation layer 6, where it would be easier to fill but it would thennot be suitable for tapping off cold water. In addition, as a result ofpositioning the tank 12 in the normal refrigerating compartment 2,freshly added water at room temperature can first be precooled to normalrefrigerating compartment temperature before it reaches the freezercompartment 3; on the one hand this results in highly energy-efficientice production while on the other hand enabling operation of the icemaker 15 with short operating cycles of uniform duration.

The ice maker 15 contains a frame 16 in a manner known per se in which atray 18 containing a plurality of ice molds 19 (see FIG. 3) is pivotablymounted about a horizontal axis 20 beneath an outlet 17 at the end ofthe water line 13. In a position of the tray 18 which is open toward thetop the ice molds 19 can be filled with water from the water line 13 byintermittently opening a valve 21, in particular a solenoid valve, andthe water can freeze in the molds 19. When this has happened the tray,driven by an electric motor 23 (see FIG. 3), is inverted and the icecubes produced are released from the molds 19, for example by beingsuperficially thawed by electric heating of the tray 18 and therebybeing made easily movable, or by being ejected from the molds 19 throughdeformation of the tray 18, and drop into a collection container 22arranged beneath the frame 16.

The device control unit 10 is connected to a user interface 24 arrangedexternally (or internally, accessible with the door open) on the housing1, which on the one hand enables the device control unit 10 to displayoperating states or actual values of operating parameters of the devicesuch as the compartment temperatures for instance, and on the other handenables a user to specify nominal values for such operating parametersand/or to enter alternative commands.

If the tank 12 is equipped with a fill level sensor which is connectedto the device control unit 10, then one of the operating states whichare displayed on the user interface 24 can be an insufficient waterlevel in the tank 12.

One of the commands which can be entered at the user interface 24 is acommand to produce ice. The device control unit 10 does not execute thiscommand itself but simply forwards it—unless the water level in the tank12 is considered to be insufficient for ice production—to a secondaryelectronic control unit 25 which, although illustrated separately fromthe frame 16 in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity, is however in fact, andas will be explained in more detail later, incorporated in said frame16.

The secondary control unit 25 uses this command to control actuators ofthe ice maker 15 such as the aforementioned electric motor 23 and thevalve 21 for instance. Further actuators can be the similarlyaforementioned heater of the tray 18 or an electric heater 26 on an endsection of the water line 13 projecting into the freezer compartment 3.Since when forwarding the ice production command the device control unit10 does not need to consider whether or not the actuators are present,the same model of device control unit 10 can work together with variousmodels of ice maker 15 which means that the assembly of the housing 1 ofthe refrigeration device and the incorporation of the device controlunit 10 therein can take place independently of the model of ice maker15 to be mounted later in the freezer compartment 3 of the refrigerationdevice.

The first reaction of the secondary control unit 25 to the command toproduce ice is to open the valve 21 in order to fill the tray 18 withwater. In order to define the point in time at which the valve 21 isclosed again, a level gage which monitors the water level in the icemolds 19 can be connected to the secondary control unit 25, or thesecondary control unit 25 closes the valve 21 again in each case after apredetermined period of time. The period of time must be defined suchthat even in the case of the water tank 12 full to capacity andcorrespondingly high pressure in the water line 13 the molds 19 areprevented from overflowing. In order to avoid fluctuating water levelsin the tank 12 resulting in ice cubes of excessively differing sizesbeing produced, an adequate difference in height can be provided betweenthe tank 12 and the outlet of the line 13, or a metering pump can beprovided in the water line 13 as a further actuator controlled by thesecondary control unit 25.

After closing the valve 21, the control unit 25 waits the time requiredin order to freeze the water in the molds 19. This time can bepredetermined. Since the water poured in will normally be at thetemperature of the refrigerating compartment 2, the predetermined timecan be chosen such that it is just sufficient in order to freeze waterpoured in at refrigerating compartment temperature if the temperaturesof refrigerating and freezer compartments 2, 3 each lie at the upper endof their user configurable value range. For more efficient iceproduction, an additional temperature sensor 27 can be fitted as part ofthe ice maker 15 in order to sense the temperature of the ambient airaround the tray 18, and be connected to the control unit 25 so that thecontrol unit 25 is able to define the waiting time as a function of thesensed temperature.

Such a temperature sensor 27 can also be utilized in order to regulatethe output of the heater 26 to the minimum required in order to preventthe line 13 from freezing.

When the waiting time has elapsed, the control unit 25 starts theelectric motor 23 in order to invert the tray 18, where applicable aftera superficial thawing of the ice cubes, and to eject the ice cubes intothe collection container 22. In the simplest case, the reaction of thecontrol unit 25 to the ice production command is thereby terminated. Itis however also conceivable that following ejection of the ice cubes thecontrol unit 25 fills the tray 18 with water again in order to thusbegin a new ice production cycle, and that the ice production cyclescontinue to follow one another until either the user cancels the iceproduction command or, if present, a sensor on the collection container22 reports that the collection container 22 is full.

The refrigeration device shown in FIG. 2 differs from that shown in FIG.1 in a plurality of aspects which can be implemented independently ofone another. According to a first aspect, the normal refrigeratingcompartment has been dispensed with; in order to nevertheless be able toprecool the contents of the water tank 12 without freezing them thewater tank 12 is embedded in the heat insulation layer 6 surrounding thefreezer compartment 3 and insulated by the heat insulation layer 6 bothwith respect to the surroundings and also with respect to the freezercompartment 3.

According to a second aspect, the water tank 12 is connected to adomestic water supply. A valve 28 can be provided between the domesticwater supply and the water tank 12 in order to maintain the latter at aconstant, but lower pressure than that of the domestic water supply. Thevalve 28 opens automatically and allows a renewed flow of water to thetank 12 when the control unit 25 opens the valve 21; no signalconnection is required for this purpose between the control unit 25 andthe valve 28.

In addition to supplying the ice maker 15, the tank 12 here can alsosupply a tapping point for cold water not illustrated in the figures. Ifno such tapping point is provided, instead of the tank 12 a simpleconnecting pipe having a small cross section could also be providedwhich connects the valve 21 to the domestic water supply and ensuresthat the water feed is precooled on its path through the heat insulationlayer 6 before reaching the ice maker 15.

According to a third aspect, a replaceable water filter 41 is provided.The water filter 41 can be arranged between the tank 12 and the valve 21or, as shown here, between the valve 28 and the tank 12.

FIG. 3 shows a simplified perspective view of a frame 16 of the icemaker 15 and component parts relating thereto. The four side walls ofthe rectangular frame 16 are formed by at least two component partsconnected to one another and preferably formed from plastic. Shaftprojections 29 from the tray 18 are rotatably mounted in openings in afront side wall 30 and a rear side wall 31 of the frame 16. In the caseof the front side wall 30, the opening is hidden by the electric motor23 arranged thereabove, in the case of the rear side wall 31 by the tray18 itself. The electric motor 23 and a reduction gear having a worm 32and a plurality of gear wheels 33, which transfers the rotation of themotor 23 to the front shaft projections 29, are housed in a cavity 34,open to the front in the direction facing away from the tray 18, in theside wall 30.

This design of an ice maker is already known; in the case of aconventional ice maker having no electronic control unit of its own inorder to complete the design it would suffice to close off the cavity 34by means of a front plate which protects the gearing from contaminationand prevents contact with possibly live electrical connections on themotor 23.

A dividing wall 35, which conceals motor 23 and gearing, is alsoprovided in the case of the ice maker 15 according to the invention; inthe illustration in FIG. 4 the dividing wall 35 itself engages with thecavity 34 in the side wall 30 and in turn forms a shallow depression 36on the outer side thereof. A plurality of electrical conductors 37 areembedded into the plastic of the dividing wall 35. They are placed suchthat when the dividing wall 35 is mounted they contact the terminals ofthe motor 23 and also, if present, of a heater of the tray 18.

The surface contour of the dividing wall 35 defines the mountingposition of a circuit board 39 shown in FIG. 5 on the dividing wall 35by projecting pins 38, ribs or the like such that contact fields on thecircuit board 35 make contact with the conductors 37. The circuit board39 is equipped with electronic components which form the secondarycontrol unit 25.

In the final assembled state shown in FIG. 6 the circuit board 39 isconcealed behind a front plate 40. Since the space in the cavity 34 ofthe front side wall 30 is not sufficient to accommodate the dividingwall 35 therein, the circuit board 38 together with the componentsmounted thereon and the front plate 40, especially if the front sidewall 30 is that of a conventional ice maker which was not originallydesigned in order to also offer space for an electronic control unit,the front plate 40 creates said space in that it is formed as a shellwhich projects forward over the front side wall 30 and is hollow on itsrear side.

In addition to the frame 16, a second module 42 of the ice maker is alsoshown in FIG. 2 which, mounted in a wall of the freezer compartment 3,accommodates the valve 21. A downstream section of the water line 13extends out over the tray 18.

The second module 40 can have a second water outlet 43 which isdisplaced sideways against the frame 16 and is fed by way of a secondvalve in the interior of the module. In order to actuate second valve, apaddle 44 projecting downward from the module 42 can be provided, whichpaddle 44 can be deflected by a container held beneath the water outlet43.

If the water filter 41 is present, provision can be made that thesecondary control unit 25 monitors the times during which the valve 21and, if present, the second valve are open in order to thus estimate thequantity of water which has passed through the filter 41. If the waterquantity estimated in this or any other suitable way has exceeded apredetermined limit value the control unit 25 generates a signal inorder to notify the user of the need to change the filter. Means fordisplaying the signal can be provided on the ice maker 15 itself, forinstance an LED on the circuit board 39 and a window suitably placed forthe purpose in the front plate 40. By preference the control unit 25sends the signal to the device control unit 10 in order that the latterforwards the signal on the user interface 24, for example in the form ofan error code which the device control unit 10 translates on the basisof a table into a text which is then displayed on the user interface 24.The device control unit 10 again does not require any adaptation herefor the presence of the water filter 41. Although the table of thedevice control unit 10 must contain the required text, such a text canhowever also be contained in the table of devices not having a waterfilter without ever being displayed there.

The following is a summary list of reference numerals and thecorresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:

-   Housing-   Normal refrigerating compartment-   Freezer compartment-   Compressor-   Condenser-   Heat insulation layer-   Machine compartment-   Evaporator-   Evaporator-   Device control unit-   Temperature sensor-   Water tank-   Water line-   Dividing wall-   Ice maker-   Frame-   Outlet-   Tray-   Ice mold-   Axis-   Valve-   Collection container-   Electric motor-   User interface-   Secondary control unit-   Heating facility-   Temperature sensor-   Valve-   Shaft projections-   Front side wall-   Rear side wall-   Worm-   Gear wheel-   Cavity-   Dividing wall-   Depression-   Conductors-   Pin-   Circuit board-   Front plate-   Water filter-   Module-   Water outlet-   Paddle

1. A refrigeration device, comprising: a housing delimiting at least onecooled storage compartment; an ice maker incorporated in said cooledstorage compartment and having actuators; a refrigeration machine forcooling said cooled storage compartment; a device control unit forcontrolling an operation of said refrigeration machine and said icemaker; and said ice maker having a secondary electronic control unitconfigured to convert a single control command from said device controlunit into a sequence of commands directed at different ones of saidactuators of said ice maker.
 2. The refrigeration device according toclaim 1, wherein: said ice maker has a tray; and said actuators includeat least one motor for pivoting said tray of said ice maker and a valveto control a water supply to said tray.
 3. The refrigeration deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein said ice maker has a shell and afour-sided frame surrounding said tray, said secondary electroniccontrol unit is accommodated in a chamber which is delimited by one sidewall of said four-sided frame and said shell attached to said one sidewall and projecting over said one side wall.
 4. The refrigeration deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein said ice maker has a bearing by way ofwhich a pivoting motion of said tray is driven and said bearing isdisposed in said one side wall of said four-sided frame.
 5. Therefrigeration device according to claim 1, wherein said ice maker has atemperature sensor to which said secondary electronic control unit isconnected.
 6. The refrigeration device according to claim 5, whereinsaid secondary electronic control unit controls a duration of an icemaking cycle.
 7. The refrigeration device according to claim 1, whereinsaid ice maker has a water line with a heater and said heater iscontrolled by said secondary electronic control unit.
 8. Therefrigeration device according to claim 1, further comprising a waterdispenser having a water outlet accessible on an outer side of said icemaker and is integrated in said ice maker.
 9. The refrigeration deviceaccording to claim 8, further comprising an operating element disposedon said ice maker for controlling a dispensing of water by way of saidwater outlet.
 10. The refrigeration device according to claim 8, whereinsaid water outlet from said water dispenser is provided physicallyseparated from said ice maker in an interior of said housing or on anouter surface of said housing, and said secondary electronic controlunit of said ice maker is configured to control said water outlet fromsaid water dispenser.
 11. The refrigeration device according to claim 8,wherein said secondary electronic control unit of said ice maker isconfigured to control a water valve for a water supply to said wateroutlet from said water dispenser.
 12. The refrigeration device accordingto claim 1, wherein said device control unit is in communication with atleast one of a display or an operating device which displays a messagefrom said secondary electronic control unit.
 13. The refrigerationdevice according to claim 8, further comprising at least one of adisplay or an operating device which displays information relating to astatus of said ice maker and/or enables settings to be made on said icemaker and is integrated in said ice maker.
 14. The refrigeration deviceaccording to claim 13, wherein said ice maker has a water usage meterand said secondary electronic control unit is configured to send amessage to said device control unit or to said display and/or saidoperating device of said ice maker if a threshold value for water usageis exceeded.
 15. The refrigeration device according to claim 13, furthercomprising a manually fillable water tank which supplies at least one ofsaid tray of said ice maker or said water outlet from said waterdispenser with water.
 16. The refrigeration device according to claim15, wherein said secondary electronic control unit of said ice maker isconfigured to control a water delivery device which supplies at leastone of said tray of said ice maker or said water outlet from said waterdispenser with the water from said manually fillable water tank.
 17. Therefrigeration device according to claim 15, wherein said manuallyfillable water tank has a sensing device for determining a water levelin said manually fillable water tank, and said secondary electroniccontrol unit of said ice maker is configured to send a message to saiddevice control unit and/or to said display and/or said operating deviceon said ice maker if a threshold value in said manually fillable watertank is undershot.
 18. The refrigeration device according to claim 1,wherein the refrigeration device is a household refrigeration device.